Warming up a cold, cold, Heart
by Tiffer1982
Summary: Edward has left Bella, and Charlie has given up on trying to rehabilitate her to her normal self. So he decides to send her to Florida to recover. A friend steps in at the last minute to offer Bella a second chance, will she take it?
1. Chapter 1

"You…don't…want me?" I replayed those words over and over again in my head as I packed my clothes, haphazardly throwing shoes, books and shirts all in the same bag. "You don't want me?" Thinking back it sounded so childish, so needy. Two things that I never wanted to be, I had become for him. I cringed as his name, then face, drifted through my head, causing tears to well up in my eyes and heart to ache painfully. I had done everything I could for him, abandoned good friends, lying to Charlie and Renee, risking my life for a man who simply answered the question " You don't want me?" with one word- No.

I felt played and used. And now that Charlie, having had enough of my teenage melodrama, was going to send me to Jacksonville to live with Renee and Phil. I had cried during the conversation he had earlier with me in the week.

"Bells, I just don't know what to do with you anymore. I have tried talking to you, tried to get you out of the house and you are just refusing. Maybe some warm weather and sunshine will do you some good. Then when you are better you can come back. " "I can't help it Charlie, can't you just let me be. I do well in school, I don't get in trouble and I don't do drugs." Charlie pulled at his hair and shook his head. "That's just it Bella, you don't do anything. You just sit in your room, you are living a half life. You need to get better. I promise you can get back when you get better."

"When you are better." Like I had some kind of sickness that could just be cured with warm weather and sunshine. In a very childish moment, I had screamed " I hate you," ran upstairs, and well, let's just say conversation hasn't been flowing smoothly since.

Now, the week has flown by and I am leaving for Florida tomorrow unless Charlie has some mercy on me. Considering the fact he hardly grunted at me when he left this morning for work, I highly doubted that.

I looked around my room and sighed. Maybe it would be a good idea to get out of this place. Everything reminded me of them. Edward's smell lingered in the room. On the desk was a picture of all of us at the prom last year. My wardrobe, which was scattered around the room, and in a few suitcases, had a decidedly Alice flair to it, and even my cell phone and Ipod were courtesy of Edward, who suggested, no demanded , that I enter the 20th century of technology.

Brushing tears out of my eyes I zipped up one more suitcase and grabbed my can of coke off the dresser. Just as I was about to take a sip, the phone rang. It rang once, then again, until I finally realized that Charlie was at work and it wasn't going to answer itself.

"Hello," I said, probably sounding a little bitchy and irritated, but I didn't care. At this moment, I wasn't all that friendly with ANYONE Charlie knew.

" Oh thank goodness you are still there Bella," said Billy Black's deep voice on the other end of the phone. Thank goodness? Billy out of all people would want me gone, I thought. He was not a fan of the Cullen's for some reason. "Hey Billy, yeah I leave tomorrow. Listen Charlie isn't here, he is at work, he should be home in about four hours." Billy grunted something into the phone that sounded strangely enough like "Fuck," then cleared his throat. "Oh umm OK well thanks Bella, I can just call him there. Sit tight ok? Don't go anywhere." " Ummm OK Billy, talk to you later." Sit tight? Don't go anywhere? Where did he think I was going to go? That man is weird.

Sighing I set the phone down and headed into the kitchen to put in my next casserole. Since I was leaving, I had made it my mission to make several frozen meals and put them in the fridge for Charlie. As mad as I was at him, I didn't want the man to have a heart attack from all that greasy diner food he was eating. I had made six dishes so far and separated them into Charlie sized portions. I even taped reheating instructions on them before I froze them, that way he had no excuses. Knowing Charlie he would still end up at the dinner once a week, and pizza another, but that meant he still would be forced to eat healthy 5 days a week if I could help it.

I was just about to slide a chicken and broccoli casserole into the oven when I heard the front door slam. My first thought was Edward. He is coming back for me. Then I mentally smacked myself as I heard Charlie shout my name. "Bella, Bells are you in here?" " I'm in the kitchen Dad," I answered back, a bit coldly I might add.

Charlie walked into the kitchen out of breath and leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed. "What are you doing Bells? Are you packed?" Well jeez; he really is ready to get rid of me. A dull ache formed in my chest and I looked at him with tears in my eyes. "Yes, I'm mostly packed, I'm sorry you want to get rid of me so quickly," I said with acid in my voice. "Charlie looked at me with hurt in his eyes and I could have sworn it looked as if he was going to cry. " Bella, no it's not that I want to get rid of you. I love you Bells, I love having you around. I just don't know what to do with you, you're sad. I just think that maybe as a girl, you need your mom right now." I looked at my feet and nodded. He was probably right, most girls probably would want their moms when something like this happens. Not me though. I was done with people. But I lifted my head and gave Charlie a tiny, sad, smile. "You are probably right Charlie. I'm making you a bunch of meals. Don't want you eating all that diner food." He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Awww Bells, I'll be fine. I made it all those years on diner food. But you sure are a good cook, I'm sure I will enjoy it." He wrapped his arm around me and steered me away from the oven and around the kitchen table. "I'm home early because Billy wants to see us down at the rez, he says it is very important that we get there right away. Are you ready to go? I looked at him in surprise. I hadn't exactly made a lot of friends down at the rez, the Quileute Indian Reservation to be exact. In fact, my one friend there, Jacob, Billy's son, wouldn't even speak to me lately and they made it no secret that they absolutely loathed the Cullen's.

" Yeah I guess I'm ready, what do they want down there? Do I have to go?" Charlie shook his head. " Yes you have to go, Billy specifically asked for you. I have no idea what he wants, except that he sounded really excited. So get your bag."

Nodding I grabbed my bag and followed Charlie out to the cruiser. We slightly broke the speed limit as we sped down to the La Push in silence. Charlie and I talked a little about Florida, but we mostly remained quiet as we finally turned off the main road onto a gravel road that led down to a row of houses, Billy's being on the end. As we stepped out, Billy wheeled out the front door at seemingly breakneck speed and reached out to grab my hand.

"Welcome Bella, I just know you are going to love it here."

Love it here? What? Even Charlie looked confused. What was going on?


	2. Chapter 2

**Last time in " Warming up a cold, cold Heart."**

_Nodding I grabbed my bag and followed Charlie out to the cruiser. We slightly broke the speed limit as we sped down to the La Push in silence. Charlie and I talked a little about Florida, but we mostly remained quiet as we finally turned off the main road onto a gravel road that led down to a row of houses, Billy's being on the end. As we stepped out, Billy wheeled out the front door at seemingly breakneck speed and reached out to grab my hand. _

_ "Welcome Bella, I just know you are going to love it here." _

_Love it here? What? Even Charlie looked confused. What was going on?_

**Now**

" Hey Billy," Charlie reached out and shook his old friend's hand, then spun him around, popping a wheelie with his chair as he pushed him back up the stairs. " How ya doing old man?"

I followed along puzzled " I just know you are going to love it here?" I've been to the rez several times. It's a nice place, why would I love it this time anymore than another time? Shaking my head I followed Billy and my dad into the house.

The inside of Billy's house looked like a homage to hunting and fishing. There were buck heads on the wall, and even a few fish looking things. The walls were dark paneling, but there were crisp crème colored curtains in the windows and two really comfortable looking corduroy sofas sitting around a dark wood coffee table and a large flat panel TV. I've always loved this room. The kitchen was bright and happy with a red table cloth, cherry patterned curtains and knickknacks on shelves. Quill Ateara , one of the tribal elders was sitting at the kitchen table, watching us as we walked in. He stood up and shook Charlie's hand reached out and pulled me into a hug " Bella, it's good to see you." Nice to see you too Mr. Ateara," I said while my mind was racing. This was just weird. This man had always been nice to me, but now suddenly he is acting as if I'm his daughter. I laughed on the inside. Figures they would be like this now, now that Charlie is forcing me to Florida. These guys have been friends with Charlie forever and he had probably told them how " fragile" I was. I sat down at the time and nodded when Billy offered me tea. When we were all seated Billy started speaking.

"Well Charlie, Bella, I'm sure you are wondering why you are here." Charlie nodded and glared at Billy. " You did tell me this was life and death Billy, so I left work. So far I haven't seen anything life or death. " Billy grimaced and Quill looked down right pissed off. " It is life and death, the life and death of Bella." Charlie choked and sputtered on his tea. " What?" I set my shaking mug down, trying not to slosh tea over the edge and gave Quill the same shocked look. " It is no secret that Bella is suffering because that…that..bloodsu… I mean BOY left her." If I had known any better I would have sworn that Quill Ateara just called Edward a bloodsucker, which he was. But he shouldn't know about that. Should he? " This boy broke Bella's heart, and we are all deeply distressed over it. In fact, I know a few Quileute boys who would love nothing better than to rip Edward and his family to shreds for what they have done to her." My eyes filled up with tears. " Oh really? Well that's funny, because NO ONE…NOT A SINGLE ONE of those boys would call me back, Mr. Ateara. I have been calling for weeks now and nothing." I looked down as tears slid over my nose and dripped into my tea. My dad glared at Quill and rubbed my back, murmuring at me to calm down. " Bella, Quill didn't mean to upset you," said Billy. Things have just been really busy around here. It is not their fault that they haven't called back. I am sure you are going to get to spend lots of time with them in the future. Right now we want to get back to business at hand. Did you know that your dad was half Quileute?" Billy looked pleased at himself, as if he had diffused the situation and imparted some sort of wisdom upon me. Truthfully, I did not know that. " No I didn't. Really Charlie?" I looked at him in wonder. He did sort of look Indian, with his darker skin and hair. " Yes Bells, my dad was a Quileute, an Elder in fact. My mom was a " pale face," as they are called and when he passed away she took me to live with her parents in Forks. I did spend a good bit of time on the reservation though. Grew up with Quill and Billy here," he said smiling and smacking each one of them on the back. I looked at them all and how happy they were. " Well that's cool, what is this about though," I asked Billy, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. Billy laughed. " Oh Bells, don't worry, I am actually pretty sure that you are going to like this idea. See since your dad was half Quileute, which makes you a quarter Quileute." I looked at him blankly. OK so I was 25% Indian. I was also 25% Irish and 50% German. What's the big deal. " So?" I guess I had said that out loud because Quill laughed and mimicked my voice " SOOOOO that means you can live here. On the reservation." " What? Live on the reservation? Why?" I was confused, why was I suddenly being offered to live on the reservation? " Well your dad was telling me about you going to Florida because he didn't want you at Forks High and he wanted you to get away from things. Since you are at least 25% Quileute, you are able to go to La Push High School on the reservation and live here with us. You can still see your dad whenever you want, but you can have a new chance and the boys can protect you as well." I saw Billy give Quill a look at his last statement and I was suddenly curious. " Protect me from what?" Billy coughed a little and Quill smiled " Oh just from the angst of being a teenager Bella, protect you from meeting another good for nothing like that Cullen boy." He practically spat Edward's name and I was about to get angry, about to ask why he hated the Cullen's so much, when Charlie's voice rang out into the kitchen. " You would do that for my Bells? Really? I think this sounds amazing!" Charlie's face had lit up like a Christmas tree and I don't think I have ever seen him so excited. " Bells what do you think, isn't it great?" I had to think for a while. Live on the rez with Jacob, and the other kids. Go to a new school. Move to Florida. Know no one except for Renee and Phil. Go to a new school. Suddenly it was all clear to me. It wasn't as good as living in Charlie's house, but it was way, way better than living in Florida. " I think it sounds great, but where will I live?" Billy cleared his throat. " Well we have an extra room here, it was Jacob's game room, but he agreed to clean in out and you can live in there. He already painted and put furniture in there. " I looked at Charlie. " Dad? Is this really OK, I mean I could do this, stay here?" I was suddenly ecstatic at the idea of living on the res. Sure it would something to get used to, and I would be at a new school, but I could avoid all those girls like Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory, but I would have to be in Florida either. "Bells I love this idea. I think you would do great here. I can see you a lot too, and I was going to miss you so much. Thank you Quill, thank you Billy!" My dad stood up and hugged Quill and Billy then suddenly, as if he was feeling un manly, did a weird hand shake thing with them and sat down.

I drank my tea and stared off into space as my dad talked to Quill and Billy, ironing out the details. It was Wednesday, I would start school at the Rez on Monday. I didn't have to work, but if I wanted, Quill would hire me at the bait shop. Jacob would help me un pack. I could help with cooking duties between Jacob and Billy. Suddenly Charlie's voice broke through my thoughts. " Bells, are you OK?" " Oh yeah Charlie, I was just thinking," I said blushing a bit when I realized I had probably looked like a zombie. " Billy was going to show you your room, while I drove back to the house and got your stuff, are you all packed?" " Yeah I am, I have a little more, but I can come back and get it?" Charlie nodded and hugged me. " Be back in a bit," he said as he tossed his keys from hand to hand and walked towards the door. I stood and gathered the cups and set them in the sit, careful to rinse each one out. I wanted to show Billy that he could count on me to keep things clean, but he would have none of it. " Bella don't worry about it, Jacob will do it when he gets home from school. Trust me. Now come see your room." Nodding I followed Billy down the hall and towards my new life.


	3. Chapter 3

Last time in Warming up a cold, cold, heart

" _Bella don't worry about it, Jacob will do it when he gets home from school. Trust me. Now come see your room." Nodding I followed Billy down the hall and towards my new life. _

Now

My new bedroom was small, but comfy. The walls were a pretty lavender shade and there was an old fashioned quilt on the bed and a purple throw in an old fashioned rocking chair. "Jacob picked your color, he said you had purple in your old room, he painted last night." He painted last night? They must have really thought I was a sure thing. I ran my hand slowly over the bed. "It's really pretty Billy, I can't believe you are doing this for me. I promise you won't regret it." Billy smiled and wheeled closer to me, grabbing my hand. "Bella, we are so glad that you are going to stay with us, don't worry about burdening me at all. The only thing I ask…" he took a deep breath and stared right into my eyes before he started again " The only thing I ask is that you stay away from the Cullen's if you come back. Please." I took my hand back and looked at him. "Why don't you like the Cullens Billy? They didn't do anything to you." I know I was being a bit rude, but I couldn't see why he was acting that way. Surely he didn't know their secret. Did he? Billy looked at me sharply. "You don't know what they have or haven't done Bella, not for sure, but I would advise you to ask Jacob to tell you some of the tribal legends." I looked at him strangely and nodded. "Now I am going to get some things done, why don't you watch some TV or take a walk until Charlie gets back. Jacob will be home from school in about two hours." I smiled and nodded. He turned his chair around and wheel out of the room, leaving me to examine things on my own.

It really was a pretty room, very cheery and bright. Edward would have said it suited me well. Edward. Why can't I go more than a few minutes thinking about him? He has made it very clear over the past four months that he doesn't want to hear from me. Alice responds back when I email her, but even she is cold to me, only telling me things like " It's going to snow tomorrow and if you don't wear your boots you are going to fall in front of the parking lot in front of everyone" or " please don't wear that in public." When I ask her about Edward she just says he is doing fine and won't say anything else about it.

I let a few tears fall as I sat on the bed, my arms wrapped around myself thinking of his firm grasp and how warm it would make me feel despite the chill. I guess I sat like that for a while because suddenly Charlie was there snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Bells, Bells are you ok?" Charlie was snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Hey Charlie, yeah I was just thinking, sorry." Charlie looked worried, then irritated. "Bells you can't keep doing this, I know you are thinking of him. Billy has been really great to let you stay here and if you act all melodramatic he is going to be upset, he wants you to get better, just like I do." I stood up quickly, nearly knocking Charlie over in the process. "I'm not sick Dad, I'm heartbroken. I really love him and he left. I don't need to explain to you how that feels." As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them, clapping my hand over my mouth and looking at Charlie with wide eyes. "Oh dad, I'm so sorry, Dad…" but Charlie looked at me and walked out. I heard him speak a few words to Billy then the door slammed shut.

The tears flowed freely as I thought of what my comments did to him and I was still crying when I heard the door slam shut again and Billy talk to Jacob. "Hey son. Bella is here, she is in her room." I could hear a thump as a I quickly wiped my eyes and brushed my hair out of my face. "Really, they said yes?! Awesome!" I froze and looked in the mirror. My shocked expression was definitely accurate. The guy who never returned my calls and basically acted like I didn't exist was excited that I was going to be living with him? Weird. And unnerving. And annoying. Before I could start getting anymore worked up, a very excited Jacob bounded into the room.

"Bella!" Before I could even wipe my face, Jacob had me in a huge hug, practically suffocating me and shouting in my hear. "I am so happy you are here, wow, I can't believe it worked out, now we can hang out all the time and-" " Hold up Jake." I pushed Jacob off me and put my hands on his shoulders, looking at him closely. " You haven't answered my calls in a month. Billy would say you were busy, out or sleeping every single time I called and suddenly you have time for me? Suddenly you want to hang out? That's just not good enough Jake, I needed you." I sobbed the last big and quickly wiped my eyes, covering my face. Jacob stood motionless in the middle of the room, looking at me with a mixture of fear, embarrassment, and pity. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if he was trying to work the words out in his head. Finally he sat down on the bed and grabbed my hand. " I know this is probably going to make you mad Bella, and I don't mean to, but there are a lot of things that I couldn't tell you, a lot of reasons that I stayed away from you. I have permission to tell you when I'm ready, and I am going to, I just don't want you to be upset with me." I looked at Jacob for a minute, thinking his confession over. "What sort of things Jake?" He looked down and scuffed his worn out boot against the carpet. I used the opportunity to look him over. Jacob had always been extremely handsome, but in the past month it looked as if he had gained about 6 inches and several pounds of pure muscle. His long hair was chopped off into a short, messy, cut and it accentuated his boyish good looks very, very well. " Bells I am going to tell you tonight. Please just promise me you won't get mad or flip out. I don't want to hurt you. Tonight we are having a bonfire, it will be the perfect opportunity." I nodded at him and stared up into his eyes. Suddenly it was as if gravity temporarily left and then crashed down on me again as I looked at him. I felt nothing like I felt moments before. I felt love for Jacob, sudden and overwhelming love. I gasped and Jacob shook his head quickly and looked back at me. " Did you just feel that Jake?" Jacob blushed and looked down again. " No, feel what?" He was purposely avoiding me and obviously lying. Well two can play that game. " Oh nothing, just a breeze. Well I better unpack this stuff. I'm glad I'm here Jacob, thank you." I hugged him and gasped again as a ripple of electricity flooded my chest. I felt Jacob tighten his hold on me and smile into my hair. " No problem Bella, I'm glad you're here and trust me, everything is going to be OK, and I will explain it all." With that he turned and walked out of the room without looking back.

I grabbed my first suitcase and opened it up, stuffing clothes into drawers as I thought. Something was up with Jacob. I felt something and he was definitely different. Tonight I would find out what it was, whether he decided to tell me or not.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Characters are property of Stephanie Meyer, I just like playing with them!

Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them!

Note: This chapter is written in Quill, Sr's point of view so it is a little different from the others and it is short.

QPOV

I shook my head sadly as I watched beautiful Bella from my front porch. She was putting her bike in Billy's shed and brushing what looked like tears from her eyes. I know everyone was worried about her, but if only she knew how dangerous things really were for her and her family. This week the boys smelled that leach Victoria by Bella's house, around the Police station and a Quileute friend we had stationed by her mother's house had smelled three different Vampires stalking Renee and Phil.

I watched as Bella looked up quickly and scanned the trees as if she had heard something. I looked in the same direction and saw nothing, but a rustle of leaves. I caught a faint whiff of the overly sickly sweet smell of the little pixie-leech Alice. She had asked, no begged to be able to look after Bella. The rest of the family, well except for that Edward, had requested to check on her as well, and I had even see that strange empathy one Jasper here just this morning. The problem wasn't the Cullen's ( as much as I disliked them), but the other Vampires that were lurking around. I knew that Victoria was out for blood (pun intended) and wouldn't rest until someone had paid for what happened to her mate.

Bella of course had no idea. And she wouldn't. We would tell her the tribal secrets, but we couldn't tell her that the Cullens were still looking after her or that Victoria and her minions were after her family. If she knew that there was no way that she would stay around here. Edward was right, that girl had no sense of self preservation. Although Jacob was worried, I thoroughly doubted that Bella was going to be scared of his secret. Bella would more than likely embrace the tribe with open arms. The problem was getting her to get over that no good leech. If we could accomplish that, then we could accomplish just about anything.

Bella was back inside now and I could hear her talking with Jacob. Suddenly my eyes clouded over and I saw a vision of a beautiful young man and woman embracing, then the young man reaching over to pick up a small baby as the young woman smiled on. Shocked, I smiled. Billy and Jacob would going to be very happy about this. Suddenly, I wasn't so worried about Bella getting over Edward, suddenly I wasn't worried at all.

Well folks, I hope that enlightens you just a little as to what is going on in the sorry. I love feedback so please review, but remember..this is my first story!!

Thanks,

Tiff


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